TULSA, Oklahoma - Another change is coming to downtown parking as new meters are going in the Brady District, and this time they'll stay.The meters have been on and off for this part of downtown, but once the new meters are up and running, parking will not be free, but it will be easier than it could be.

The installation work started on North Main, but eventually, the bolted down parking meters will spread all over the Brady District.

Parking Meter number 1 is right outside Cain's Ballroom - it's a solar powered model in a familiar blue color selected by the City after some testing to see which one worked best.

The City expects to take several weeks to get 21 meters installed and the signs updated.

Tom Baker with the Downtown Coordinating Council said, "On-street parking, how you manage your parking is a big deal - it's an economic vitality issue, it's all kinds of things to people who come downtown."

The new system replaces a failing system based on old meters that are hard to read and unreliable, and the City is cannibalizing parts of some to keep the rest working.

The City has just enough of the new ones for the Brady District; at $6,300 each, the City can't afford to replace them all at once. As money becomes available, they'll expand the system throughout downtown.

The new one takes credit cards or coins, and, in a few months, a mobile app will be up and running to manage it by phone.

The biggest change is that drivers enter a tag number - the specific space doesn't matter so drivers can move the car without starting over at a new meter.

"The features that are incorporated into this system will be used all over downtown and anywhere that on-street parking is managed in that way,” Baker said.

The meters only matter between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. weekdays, and they only apply to on-street parking, not parking lots. The ticket for an expired meter is $25.

I saw those going in and read the TW article on it today. It seems the basic "improvement" is that there isn't a specific space you are have to park in. I have to assume that means there will be a ticket you put on your dash or from your rearview or you enter your plate number and the attendants can scan license plates to see if everyone is in compliance. How else would you enforce it?

Also, without a specific assigned space there is no "free parking" if someone leaves early. For better or worse, I guess.

Really, meters aren't about revenue. They are about making sure people are using metered spaces to frequent businesses for short intervals, as opposed to residents and employees parking there all day. I go to the Brady and elsewhere downtown, meters are fine by me.

There is one of those in the lot just west of Hodges Bend. I've used it twice. $3 to park. It's nice for that lot because it is a gravel lot and there are no marked spaces. Just park and go to the meter and input your tag. I've never gone back and put my receipt on my dash, I assumed they had the ability to check your tag against the machine in real-time. (I'll have to double check on that next time.) Overall, convenient and easy to use.

There is one of those in the lot just west of Hodges Bend. I've used it twice. $3 to park. It's nice for that lot because it is a gravel lot and there are no marked spaces. Just park and go to the meter and input your tag. I've never gone back and put my receipt on my dash, I assumed they had the ability to check your tag against the machine in real-time. (I'll have to double check on that next time.) Overall, convenient and easy to use.

I assume they have someone come by on a regular basis and scan all the tags, if your tag isn't in the meter, you get a ticket.

There is one of those in the lot just west of Hodges Bend. I've used it twice. $3 to park. It's nice for that lot because it is a gravel lot and there are no marked spaces. Just park and go to the meter and input your tag. I've never gone back and put my receipt on my dash, I assumed they had the ability to check your tag against the machine in real-time. (I'll have to double check on that next time.) Overall, convenient and easy to use.

Last time I was in Louisville, that's about all I saw. Pay by tag was great when it was consistent, hopping around different districts during the day.

So the Mrs has gotten me the best Father's Day gift ever... babysitters.

That being said, we are going to eat and to the ballgame Saturday night. Might spend most of the afternoon in the Brady area. My question is, where should/could I park for hours on end, and be with in a decent proximity of either or both Main/Brady & OneOK field?

So the Mrs has gotten me the best Father's Day gift ever... babysitters.

That being said, we are going to eat and to the ballgame Saturday night. Might spend most of the afternoon in the Brady area. My question is, where should/could I park for hours on end, and be with in a decent proximity of either or both Main/Brady & OneOK field?

The parking garage at 1st and Main is cheap on weekends/nights, and is probably the best value for any paid spots (though it's not that close to ONEOK Field). But being Saturday, there is no enforcement of meter/time limit signs, so you can find a spot wherever on-street for free. There are also BOK lots on the north side of the railroad tracks that sell for games

The parking garage at 1st and Main is cheap on weekends/nights, and is probably the best value for any paid spots (though it's not that close to ONEOK Field). But being Saturday, there is no enforcement of meter/time limit signs, so you can find a spot wherever on-street for free. There are also BOK lots on the north side of the railroad tracks that sell for games

For some reason I was under the impression meters were still running on Saturdays. Thanks for the tip.

That being said, we are going to eat and to the ballgame Saturday night.

The baseball crowd will be early on Saturday. They are giving away a "Mickey Mantle world championship ring" to the first 2,000 fans when the gates open at 6pm.I really like the new bar area out in the left field seating area. I also recommend the Mexican Cantina behind third base area for the nachos.

Tulsa could soon be the home of more parking meters. The city is considering expanding parking meters in the east side of downtown, near the east leg of the IDL. The city is also looking to extend meter time to eight at night and add Saturdays to the mix.

Over time, the goal is to have all of the antiquated parking meters updated to one centralized meter and management system. Eventually, the City hopes to have a mixture of single space meters and electronic Parking Pay Stations that work together on one platform with all of the types of parking spaces in Tulsa, such as the new back-in parking.

Although funding is currently not available to replace the entire parking meter system in the city of Tulsa, staff will continue maintenance on the old meters as needed, to maintain the systems' integrity.

Sounds like American Parking et al are finally getting there way. I wonder how the restaurant/entertainment industry DT feels about the 8PM and Saturday enforcement.

Sounds like American Parking et al are finally getting there way. I wonder how the restaurant/entertainment industry DT feels about the 8PM and Saturday enforcement.

I don't mind paying to park when I go downtown, even on a Saturday night. (I've been doing it in Brady/Arts for a while now). But they mentioned a two-hour limit, and that is a problem. If I'm going to dinner and then an event, I need more like a four-hour limit.

I don't agree about moving to 8, and definitely don't like adding Saturdays. And I feel there should be some free parking for sure, even if it's out of the way (walk 3 blocks to your destination, free parking or pay to park right in front) to promote walkability.

The parking system is not a revenue stream meant to fix any holes in the City budget - despite what people on Facebook are complaining about. It is absolutely a need to have a (working) parking meter system, with available free parking, private parking, lot/garages, and other means of transit as well. Hopefully this is just a step in getting to that point.

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